Hi folks,
We made it. Twenty-one straight weeks of real, good, food. We know, it wasn’t always easy, there were probably times where you let a kohlrabi sit in the bottom drawer of your fridge for weeks until it krinkled up like a shrunken head. We forgive you for that. It happens. You did your best! You ate so much good food! And you had to actually take the time to cook to do so. Give yourselves a pat on the back, folks. Any amount of time spent devoted to cooking and eating good food can seem impossible in this busy, modern world that we’ve constructed, but you made it happen. Celebrate! With more vegetables!

This last box is a good one. Black radishes are like the new-age susty* jack’o’lantern as they can be carved into intricate skulls for any day of the dead celebration, before eventually being consumed, of course. They have an intense, feel-it-in-your-nose kind of wasabi heat that only a brassica root knows how to give you. Polish people that I did not know lived in Oregon come and find us at market just for these radishes, so they must be pretty good… But of course you also have a pie pumpkin this week, so you could always keep it old school and carve that up before making a brilliant pie creation as well. The possibilities are endless.

Thanks so much for supporting us this season. Farming is no easy task, and community support is required for it to function. And thanks so much to everyone who read any or all of these newsletters! It’s been lovely sharing some of our experiences on the farm with you this season. You’ve been a fabulous audience, and we hope to see you again next season.

Best, Laura Bennett

*Susty is short for sustainable, but more like how a hipster says it

Table of Box Contents

Black Radish—Black radishes are like watermelon radishes’ evil twin, with a much stronger bite that is almost medicinal. Radish dichotomies the likes of which have never been known. These radishes are excellent shredded into salads and eaten raw for maximum nutritive content, but they can also be mellowed nicely when roasted or caramelized (see recipe). Black radishes also make for a great pickle! Add cider vinegar, water, honey, and your spices of choice for a crisp mellowed experience.

Parsnips—These sweet roots are similar to a carrot or a sweet potato, and can be utilized in similar ways. I especially love to chop thin parsnip sticks to make pan-fried parsnip fries (you only need a half-inch of oil, but you can only do one layer at a time) dipped in aioli (see past recipes).

Thyme—Hang and let dry to use over time.

Bok Choy—Fall’s crisp offering to replace lettuce

Shallots—Those garlic x onion crosses that make your eyes water with a fury no regular onion can muster. Excellent used with or instead of onions in any dish.

Pie Pumpkin—For anyone who has never made a pumpkin pie, please take this as a sign that you should do so. It’s really not that hard. Just buy a crust, look up a recipe, and make the filling, we won’t judge you. Enjoy!

Lacinato Kale—Also known as black kale, Lacinato has savoy cabbage genes which are responsible for its unique, rumply, thick leaves. I like to make many thin slices down the leaves to break them down into small pieces before braising and then dressing. Caesar dressing goes great! It’s just as easy to make as aioli in a mason jar.

Assemble salad: place quinoa in a large bowl. Layer collards and roasted veggies. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and cranberries. Drizzle juice from 1/2 lemon and olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Alternatively, use dressing of your choice! ENJOY!

Instructions

In a large wok, heat 2 tablespoon of canola oil over high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper and add to wok. Cook for 2-4 minutes, until meat has browned. Transfer meat to a large bowl and stir in hoisin sauce. Cover and set aside.

Pour out extra liquid from wok. Lower heat to medium high, then add remaining canola oil to wok. Add in garlic, scallions, and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in turnips and bok choy stems. Cook until stems soften, about 5 minutes, then add in bok choy greens. Pour in soy sauce and Sriracha, then cook about 2-4 more minutes, until greens are wilted. Adjust salt to taste.